Omar Khalid
In an episode of The Indicator from Planet Money, Greg Rosalsky discusses the problem with banning plastic bags. He talks about the environmental impact of plastic bags and the potential consequences of banning them. Rosalsky references a study by economist Rebecca Taylor, which found that while plastic bag bans reduced plastic waste, they also led to an increase in the sales of garbage bags and paper bag use, which may have a negative impact on the environment. The discussion also covers the effectiveness of imposing fees on plastic bag use to encourage reuse.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Author | Greg Rosalsky |
| Co-author | Vanek Smith |
| Publication | NPR |
| Publication Date | April 9, 2019 |
| Title | Are Plastic Bag Bans Garbage? |
| Subtitle | Planet Money |
| Type | Podcast |
| Duration | 9:54 |
| Guest | Rebecca Taylor |
| Guest Title | Economist |
| Guest Organization | University of Sydney |
| Finding 1 | Sales of garbage bags increased after plastic bag bans |
| Finding 2 | Plastic bag bans may hurt the environment more than help it |
| Finding 3 | A fee on plastic bags is smarter than a ban |
| Finding 4 | Paper bags are worse for the environment than plastic bags |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic bag bans may hurt the environment more than help it
University of Sydney economist Rebecca Taylor studied bag regulations and their effects. She found that sales of garbage bags skyrocketed after plastic carry-out bags were banned. Small garbage bags, which are about the same size as a traditional plastic grocery bag, saw a 120% increase in sales. Medium bags went up by 60%. This is because people who reused their shopping bags for other purposes, such as lining trash bins or picking up dog poop, still needed bags. Trash bags are thicker and use more plastic than typical shopping bags. Taylor estimates that about 30% of the plastic that was eliminated by the ban comes back in the form of thicker garbage bags.
In addition, cities that banned plastic bags saw a surge in the use of paper bags, which resulted in about 80 million pounds of extra paper trash per year. Paper bags require more energy to produce and, although they are biodegradable, the increased production could have a negative environmental impact.
Some experts, including Taylor, believe that imposing a fee on both paper and plastic bags is a better solution than a ban. This encourages people to reuse their bags and provides flexibility for those who need to use disposable bags for specific purposes.
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Plastic bag bans increase the use of paper bags
Plastic bag bans are gaining traction, with over 240 cities and counties passing laws banning or taxing them since 2007. However, these bans may have unintended consequences, such as increasing the use of paper bags.
When plastic bag bans are implemented, people who previously reused plastic bags for tasks like lining trash bins or picking up dog waste still need bags for these purposes. This leads to a surge in the sales of garbage bags, which are thicker and use more plastic than typical shopping bags. As a result, a significant portion of the plastic eliminated by the ban is replaced by thicker garbage bags.
In addition to the increase in garbage bag sales, there is also a notable increase in the use of paper bags. This is because paper bags are often not included in the bans, and people switch to using them instead of plastic bags. While paper bags are biodegradable, producing them requires significantly more energy, and multiple studies have shown that they are worse for the environment than plastic bags.
The impact of this shift from plastic to paper bags can be significant. For example, in cities that banned plastic bags, the increase in paper bag use resulted in about 80 million pounds of extra paper trash per year. This highlights how plastic bag bans can lead to unintended consequences, potentially offsetting any environmental benefits.
To address this issue, some experts suggest that instead of a ban, a small fee should be imposed on both paper and plastic bags. This approach provides flexibility for those who reuse plastic bags for specific purposes while also encouraging the use of reusable bags. By allowing people to choose between different types of bags and promoting reuse, this strategy can help reduce the environmental impact of single-use bags.
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Plastic bag bans increase the use of thicker garbage bags
Plastic bag bans are gaining traction, with a national movement to eradicate their use. Over 240 cities and counties have passed laws banning or taxing plastic bags since 2007. However, these bans may be counterproductive and could be hurting the environment more than helping it.
One of the issues with plastic bag bans is that they often do not take into account the way people reuse plastic bags. Many people use plastic bags for purposes other than shopping, such as picking up dog waste or lining trash bins. When plastic bags are banned, people still need bags for these purposes, and this leads to an increase in the sales of garbage bags.
University of Sydney economist Rebecca Taylor studied the impact of bag regulations and found that sales of garbage bags skyrocketed after plastic bag bans were implemented. Specifically, small garbage bags saw a 120% increase in sales, while medium bags increased by 60%. Taylor estimates that about 30% of the plastic eliminated by the ban is replaced by thicker garbage bags.
The increase in garbage bag sales means that a significant amount of plastic is still being used, even with the ban on plastic bags. This calls into question the effectiveness of plastic bag bans in reducing plastic waste. It also highlights the importance of considering the unintended consequences of well-intentioned policies.
As an alternative to bans, Taylor suggests that imposing a fee on plastic bags can be just as effective in encouraging the use of reusable bags while providing flexibility for those who reuse plastic bags for other purposes.
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A fee on plastic bags is smarter than a ban
Plastic bags have become a standard feature of U.S. grocery stores over the last 40 years. They are now also standard in sewers, landfills, rivers, and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. They clog drains, cause floods, litter landscapes, and kill wildlife. A national movement to ban plastic bags has gained momentum, with over 240 cities and counties passing laws that ban or tax them since 2007. However, these restrictions may be hurting the environment more than helping it.
Economist Rebecca Taylor studied bag regulations and found that sales of garbage bags skyrocketed after plastic carry-out bags were banned. Small garbage bags, which are about the same size as a traditional plastic grocery bag, saw a 120% increase in sales. Medium bags went up by 60%. Taylor's research also showed that cities that banned plastic bags saw a surge in the use of paper bags, which resulted in about 80 million pounds of extra paper trash per year. Paper bags require more energy to produce and, therefore, have a larger environmental footprint than plastic bags.
Taylor's research suggests that a fee on bags is a smarter policy than a ban. A fee is just as effective as a ban in encouraging the use of reusable bags, but it offers flexibility for people who reuse plastic bags for garbage disposal or dog walking. The best policy, according to Taylor, imposes a fee on both paper and plastic bags and encourages reuse.
Behavioral economists have various tricks to encourage people to reuse bags, such as guilt. A fee on plastic bags, coupled with encouragement to reuse, could be a more effective policy than a ban.
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Plastic bag bans may not reduce overall plastic consumption
University of Sydney economist Rebecca Taylor studied bag regulations and their effects. She found that sales of garbage bags skyrocketed after plastic carry-out bags were banned. Small garbage bags, which are about the same size as a traditional plastic grocery bag, saw a 120% increase in sales. Medium bags went up by 60%. Taylor attributes this to people who reused their shopping bags for other purposes, such as lining trash bins or picking up dog poop, still needing bags.
As a result, the plastic eliminated by the ban is replaced by thicker garbage bags, with about 30% of the banned plastic returning in this form. Additionally, cities that banned plastic bags saw a surge in the use of paper bags, which are worse for the environment than plastic bags due to the higher energy required to produce them. Taylor's research suggests that a fee on both paper and plastic bags, encouraging reuse, is a better policy option than a ban.
Greg Rosalsky, in his Planet Money newsletter, highlights the potential negative consequences of plastic bag bans. He points out that while bans may reduce the use of plastic bags, they can lead to increased consumption of other types of bags, such as thicker garbage bags and paper bags, which have their own environmental impacts. Rosalsky supports Taylor's conclusion that a fee on bags is a smarter approach, as it encourages reuse without completely eliminating the flexibility that plastic bags can offer to some consumers.
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Frequently asked questions
Paper bags are an alternative to plastic bags. However, they are worse for the environment as they use more energy to create.
According to Taylor, imposing a fee on plastic bags is smarter than a ban. This is because it encourages people to reuse bags and offers flexibility for those who reuse plastic bags for other purposes.
Plastic bags have become standard in sewers, landfills, rivers and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. They clog drains and cause floods, litter landscapes and kill wildlife.
Plastic bags are durable and can be reused for multiple purposes such as lining trash bins or picking up dog poop.
A ban on plastic bags may hurt the environment more than help it. This is because people who reuse plastic bags for other purposes will need to buy thicker garbage bags, which use more plastic.
